ESPN's "Get Up" talked about almost every notable, and even unremarkable, sports story on the show Friday. Michelle Beadle ripped Kawhi Leonard for his "attitude" and Jalen Rose broke down Grayson Allen's Summer League squabble with Trae Young. Since this is one of the slower sports times of the year, this certainly isn't the time to be picky about topics.
Yet, interestingly enough, the $14.5 million crew didn't touch on the biggest sports story in the country: President Trump once again attacking the NFL over the smattering of players who kneel during the national anthem to protest racial injustice. At a rally in Montana, Trump said the league's pandering policy about kneelers being asked to stay in the locker room was even worse than the previous rules. It was a delicious taste of comeuppance for NFL owners who tried to appease an unappeasable man.
The editorial decision to ignore Trump's latest remarks is noteworthy for a couple of reasons. For starters, it was a topic on seemingly every news and sports morning show ("First Take" dedicated considerable time to the subject.) "Get Up," which consistently draws way less than 300,000 viewers per episode, needs all of the engaging content it can get. Trump, of course, is the most polarizing figure in the country.
It also flies in the face of anybody, such as chief ESPN critic Clay Travis, who says Mike Greenberg's "Get Up" is politicized in any fashion. Prior to the show's launch, Greenberg pushed back on the idea that the show would be political in any form.
ESPN didn't immediately respond to a request for comment about why "Get Up" didn't talk Trump on Friday. But it shows that, once again, the network's liberal reputation is far overblown. The vast majority of ESPN's programming is apolitical, even at the occasional detriment of captivating debate and discussion.
